How To Use Direct Selling To Supplement Your Income

Thanks to modern advances in resources like social media and technology like smartphones and tablets, direct selling is now more popular than ever. With upwards of 20.2 million people involved in the industry and more than $36.12 billion made in annual U.S. retail sales, more individuals generated more revenue in 2015 than any previous year in the history of direct sales. Furthermore, experts predict that the direct sales channel will continue to experience remarkable growth in the coming years, especially as more people find success.

With a make-your-own schedule structure and notable compensation opportunities, direct selling is an optimal way to supplement a base income. If you’re interested in boosting your yearly salary or are eager to change your career path, consider a job in the direct selling industry. Below are quick tips for how to supplement your income and how others before you have found life-changing success with direct selling.

Find An Industry You Love

In order to be successful as a direct seller, you have to completely trust and believe in the product or service you’re selling. Make a list of things that you’re most passionate about and slowly narrow this list down by asking yourself questions like:

“What can I talk about easily and effortlessly?”

“Have any of the items on my list greatly impacted my life?”

“What will I feel most confident selling to my friends and family?”

“What are my favorite aspects about each item listed?”

Simply put, if you’re not passionate about what you’re trying to sell or if you don’t feel confident representing a particular company, chances are you’ll have trouble making money and being successful.

Take Deni Robinson for example. Deni has had a lifelong passion for health, wellness, and making a difference to humanity. So when she had the opportunity to represent ASEA, a company designed to help enhance people’s lives, she jumped in head first.

“I know that if I could really make a difference for people at the base of who we all are, there is nothing more impactful that I can do with my life. And for some reason, it is exciting for me to know that I can impact thousands upon thousands of people, that may never even know my name, but simply through the ripple effect,” Deni said. “My greatest legacy on earth is, of course, my children. But I have always wanted to do something else. Obviously, I’m not going to become a doctor or a scientist, but to be able to truly make a difference, that is my mission.”

Because she invested wholeheartedly in ASEA and the products they developed, Deni found that direct selling wasn’t just an additional way to supplement her income, but it was a way to make her dreams of enhancing health and wellness a reality.

Make It Personal

If you’re looking to direct selling as a way to supplement your income, it’s imperative that you find some sort of personal connection with the product or service you’ll be representing.

Jennifer Glacken did just this when she found Shaklee, a brand of organic cleaning products. In 1992, Jennifer’s six-month-old son starting having serious respiratory problems and soon she and her husband found themselves spending more time at the hospital than at home. Thinking her son’s issues could be the result of dust and other common household debris, Jennifer used lots of disinfectants like Lysol and Windex.

Just days after a friend suggested she switch to Shaklee-brand organic cleaning products, Jennifer’s son no longer needed medication or nebulizer treatments. She was so moved by Shaklee products that she invested in a $20 membership and made the permanent shift to its cleaning products, soaps and nutritional supplements. She also began a Shaklee business as a means of helping support the family after her husband lost his job. Today, Jennifer is a top Shaklee seller and nets a minimum of $100,000 in sales each month.

By finding a brand that she had a personal connection and experience with, Jennifer was able to powerfully represent and promote Shaklee products. When it comes time to start your own career in direct selling, think about experiences similar to Jennifer’s where your life has been changed and enhanced by a product or service.

Don’t Make Excuses

Lastly, when it comes to finding a direct selling avenue that will help supplement your income, you have to be vigilant and stop at nothing. As with growing any business, you’ll likely encounter challenges, months where the sales weren’t the best, and obstacles that stand in your way. However, instead of letting these setbacks deter you from finding success, use them as motivators to spur your efforts.

Levada Whitefield had no intentions of becoming a direct seller, but when she fell in love with her friend’s jewelry, she decided to give it a shot and started hosting parties for Traci Lynn Jewelry. For the first 18 months, Levada hosted two shows a month in the evenings after working her regular job as a software analyst. Just as her jewelry sales started to match her day-job salary, Levada underwent surgery that demanded eight weeks of bed rest. Instead of letting this setback end her success as a direct seller, Levada started having conference calls twice a week with potential team members and soon had her own team of successful sales reps.

Like Levada, you must be determined to find success as a direct seller and stop at nothing until you reach your goals. If you’re quick to submit to defeat, you’ll never make it in the direct selling industry. Be vigilant, be determined, and don’t let anything stand in the way of where you want to go or what you want to achieve.